Council's SEND delays: "People need help now!”

Available for over a year

Derbyshire County Council's apologised to families after a freedom of information request revealed massive delays in children getting special educational needs support. The authority has missed the twenty-week deadline for issuing Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) in 96% of cases this year. In response, the Council says: “Derbyshire has had a significant increase in the number of requests for EHCPs. This is a national issue and other local authorities are facing similar increases in demand.” BBC Radio Derby’s political reporter Georgia Roberts has been to meet Laura Shepherd from Belper, whose five year old son Ivan has been waiting almost a year for support.